PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
423 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2007
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL START THE
SEASONAL BEACH AND RIP CURRENT FORECAST ON THURSDAY MARCH 15...
WITH THE GRADUAL RETURN OF WARMER AIR AND WATER TEMPERATURES...MORE
PEOPLE MAY DECIDE ON A TRIP TO THE BEACH. AS A RESULT...THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL ONCE AGAIN BEGIN ISSUING A SURF
ZONE OR BEACH FORECAST...AS WELL AS THE RIP CURRENT FORECAST
STARTING THURSDAY MARCH 15...2007. THE FORECAST WILL THEN CONTINUE
THROUGH AT LEAST THE END OF OCTOBER.
FORECASTS WILL BE ISSUED AT A MINIMUM OF TWICE A DAY...ONCE AROUND 4
OR 5 AM...THEN AGAIN AROUND SUNSET IN THE EVENING. HOWEVER...UPDATES
WILL OCCUR WHEN NECESSARY.
THE EARLY MORNING ISSUANCE WILL BE A FORECAST FOR TODAY AND
TOMORROW...WHILE THE EVENING FORECAST WILL BE FOR TOMORROW AND THE
DAY AFTER.
THE FOLLOWING BEACHES ARE INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST...FOR SOUTH
CAROLINA...HUNTING ISLAND...FRIPP ISLAND...HILTON HEAD
ISLAND...DAUFUSKIE ISLAND...EDISTO BEACH...CAPE ROMAIN...ISLE OF
PALMS...SULLIVANS ISLAND...FOLLY BEACH AND KIAWAH ISLAND. IN
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA THE BEACHES ARE TYBEE ISLAND...OSSABAW
ISLAND...WASSAW ISLAND...ST. CATHERINES ISLAND AND SAPELO ISLAND.
EACH FORECAST WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION...SKY
CONDITION...HIGH TEMPERATURES...WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED...SEA WATER
TEMPERATURES ALONG THE BEACHES...AND THE ULTRAVIOLET INDEX FOR THE
FIRST DAYTIME PERIOD.
WHEN NECESSARY...HEADLINES FOR ADVISORIES...WATCHES OR WARNINGS WILL
ALSO BE INCLUDED...AS WELL AS THE PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION.
THE RIP CURRENT FORECAST WILL BE INCLUDED IN EACH BEACH FORECAST
THAT IS ISSUED...WITH A THREE TIERED QUALIFIER SYSTEM. THE THREE
RISK LEVELS FOR RIP CURRENTS WILL BE LOW...MODERATE AND HIGH.
THE MORNING FORECAST AND ANY UPDATES WILL INCLUDE A RIP CURRENT
OUTLOOK FOR TODAY...WHILE THE EVENING FORECAST AND ANY UPDATES WILL
INCLUDE A RIP CURRENT OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW. THESE OUTLOOKS ARE
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR LIFEGUARDS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS...THE MEDIA
AND THE PUBLIC.
A LOW RISK IN THE FORECAST MEANS THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS DO
NOT SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIP CURRENTS. HOWEVER...THEY STILL
MAY OCCUR...AND AS A RESULT YOU ARE REMINDED TO SWIM ONLY AT GUARDED
BEACHES.
A MODERATE RISK INDICATES THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT
STRONGER OR MORE FREQUENT RIP CURRENTS. ONLY EXPERIENCED SURF
SWIMMERS WHO KNOW WHAT TO DO IF CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT SHOULD ENTER
THE WATER...EVEN AT BEACHES WITH LIFEGUARDS.
A HIGH RISK INDICATES THAT CONDITIONS SUPPORT DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS. NO ONE SHOULD ENTER THE WATER DURING A HIGH RISK...EVEN IF
THERE ARE LIFEGUARDS PRESENT OR YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED SWIMMER.
DURING 2006 THERE WERE 23 DAYS WITH REPORTS OF RIP CURRENTS AT AREA
BEACHES. THIS RESULTED IN 74 REPORTS OF RIP CURRENTS...OF WHICH 51
RIP CURRENTS OCCURRED WHEN THE RISK WAS MODERATE OR HIGH.
DEPENDING UPON THE RISK LEVEL...ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON RIP CURRENTS
CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...THE SOUTHEAST
SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA ZONE FORECAST...THE AREA
FORECAST DISCUSSION AND IN THE COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE.
TO OBTAIN THE BEACH FORECAST AND THE RIP CURRENT OUTLOOK GO TO OUR
WEB SITE AT...WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CHS. YOU CAN ALSO LISTEN TO THE
FORECAST ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A RIP CURRENT SPOTTER...GIVE US A
CALL TOLL FREE AT...1-888-383-2024 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE.
$$
33